Departures of note

Jure Robič, a Slovenian cyclist and soldier, became the most successful rider in the history of the Race Across America (RAAM), winning the men's solo category five times—in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2010. His 2009 race ended in protest: he was in second place at the final time station but dropped out, angered by what he considered unfair time penalties, including one for urinating in a non-designated spot on the start day before the race began. He swore never to race again, but returned the following year to claim his fifth victory.

Robič's endurance feats extended beyond RAAM. On 19 September 2004, he broke the world 24-hour road record by cycling 834.77 km non-stop. In 2005, he won Le Tour Direct, a 4,023 km race based on classic Tour de France routes, finishing in 7 days, 19 hours, and 40 minutes. He also won the DOS-Ras Race Across Slovenia four times, the Tour Direct twice, and the Tortour in 2010. During the 2004 RAAM, he reportedly slept only eight hours total over his eight-day, 4,761 km crossing of the United States.

Born in Jesenice, Slovenia, on 10 April 1965, Robič was a member of the Slovenian National Cycling Team from 1988 to 1994 and became national road champion. Over his career, he won more than 100 races and stood on the podium at least 150 times. He was known for pushing himself to extreme mental breakdowns and hallucinations, sleeping less than 90 minutes per day during endurance races. Laboratory tests showed his power output and oxygen transport matched other top ultra-endurance champions worldwide.

Robič died on 24 September 2010, at age 45, in a head-on collision with a car while descending a narrow mountain forest road in Plavški Rovt near Jesenice during training. He was posthumously honored with awards for special achievements, fair play, and tolerance in sport.